DES MOINES, Iowa (The Des Moines Register) — A man has removed the books from the little free library he erected at his Des Moines home and replaced them with newly treasured items: toilet paper, wet wipes and medical gloves. Bob Meeley stocked those mundane products last week as the coronavirus spreads and people heed officials’ advice to stay home. He told The Des Moines Register that after he posted the library’s location on the neighborhood app Nextdoor, several items were taken and replaced within two days.

His goal is for others with little free libraries to fill them with supplies that other people can’t get due to shortages.

(Radio Iowa) — The state teacher’s union is urging Iowa school officials to “do the right thing” and continue paying hourly workers who’ve been laid off during school closures. The Iowa State Education Association issued a statement after learning some school districts plan to stop paychecks for hourly workers who’ve been temporarily laid off. Mike Beranek, the association’s president, says closing schools is the right decision and follows the advice of state and federal officials, but he says it’s not appropriate to financially punish employees paid by the hour for a situation beyond their control.

Beranek is calling on school boards and school administrators to continue regular paychecks for hourly staff until it is safe for school to resume.

The Atlantic School Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, March 19th at 10:00am.  The board will meet electronically and will NOT meet face-to-face in a physical location.  The meeting will be broadcast live via YouTube at the following link: https://youtu.be/tUmwlaFrHvg.

Anyone who wants to view this meeting should use this link.  Do NOT come to the school as gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited right now. Action items on the agenda Thursday, include: Pandemic Pay Resolutions for Hourly/Non-Exempt Employees, as well as Contracted & Salaried Employees.

(Radio Iowa) — Many Iowans are making the switch from eating out to getting carry out, following Tuesday’s order from the governor that temporarily closes all restaurants statewide, except for pick-up, drive-through or delivery. Jessica Dunker, president and C-E-O of the Iowa Restaurant Association, is appealing to consumers to call their favorite restaurants and place an order. Dunker reassures, your meals will be safe from COVID-19.  “We receive food from purveyors directly into sanitized kitchens and it is kept in temperature-controlled spaces where it’s prepared for people by gloved, trained staff,” Dunker says. “If we can deliver it to your car door, we know where every point of contact of your food has been.”

The Public Health Disaster Emergency is causing a “tremendous disruption” in the dining industry, but Dunker hopes Iowans will quickly adapt and get their meals to go. If it’s not practical for someone to visit their local eateries, Dunker says most Iowa communities have professionals who can deliver food from restaurants to the door of your home. “Third-party delivery services have stepped up to waive and discount fees to restaurants who are doing everything they can to do no-contact food delivery,” Dunker says. “None the less, we don’t ever want to abdicate that if we don’t have to. We really do prefer to hand things to people directly.”

In addition to restaurants, all Iowa bars are shut down as well, creating a critical problem for tavern owners: restaurants may be able to stay afloat by offering carry-out, but bars can’t legally do that with drinks. “We’re requesting some relaxation for some things to help bars potentially be able to sell something but bars do not have the ability to sell liquor to go,” Dunker says, “and so, we’re concerned.”

Of the 63-hundred restaurants and bars in Iowa, she fears the temporary closures will result in the -permanent- closures of as many as three-thousand establishments. Dunker says as many as 80-thousand workers in the industry statewide could be filing for unemployment within ten days.

Officials with the Cass County Extension Office in Atlantic report effective immediately (3/18/2020), the Cass County Extension Office is CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until April 4th. The staff will be on duty during regular business hours, but the doors will remain locked. County Extension Director Kate Olsen said “We take serving Iowans seriously, which is why we are prioritizing the health and safety of our community and staff.”

To contact staff, please call 712-243-1132, directly email the staff member you need to reach, or email xcass@iastate.edu. A staff member will be in the office during this time, during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8-4:30), but not all staff members may be available. If you need to pick up or drop off something, please call ahead to set up a time and they can answer any questions. A staffer will meet you at the door with your requested materials.

You are also encouraged to visit the website (www.extension.iastate.edu/cass) for staff contact information, and follow the Cass County Extension on Facebook page, as they will be updating both regularly with program updates and resources

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has updated their report on arrests and incidents to include March 15-through 17th. Tuesday night, a Deputy was dispatched to a residence in Avoca, for a reported disturbance. 30-year old Jesse Eugene Hutton, of Avoca, was arrested for Assault (without intent) causing bodily injury or mental illness, and Obstruction of E-911 communications. Hutton was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a total of $2,300 bond.

Tuesday afternoon, 49-year old Brenda Lynn Peterson-Presley, of Carter Lake, was served at the Pott. County Jail, with a warrant for Possession of a firearm or offensive weapon by a Felon. She remained in the Pott. County Jail on $300 bond an unrelated charge. Another inmate at the jail, 35-year old James Paul Theodoropoulos, of Omaha, was presented with an active warrant for Burglary in the 3rd Degree – vehicle related/2nd or subsequent offense, and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. He was being held on a total of $600 bond for separate charges.

Early Tuesday morning, 46-year old Dawn Marie Brewer was arrested following a traffic stop on eastbound I-80. Brewer was taken into custody for Driving While license suspended or revoked in Iowa. Brewer later posted bond. At around 2:45-a.m. Tuesday, 27-year old Kean Patrick McGinn was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs for erratic driving. McGinn was also later released on bond. At around 12:20-a.m., Tuesday, 30-year old Nicholas James Erisman was arrested for Driving While license suspended or revoked, following suspicious driving activity. He later bonded-out of jail.

Monday night, 38-year old Erin Catherine Collins was arrested in Pottawattamie County, for OWI/1st offense. She was later released. And, Sunday night, 25-year old Caleb Leo Foote was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a non-injury accident at Highway 92 and 340th Street. He was later released.